Man Killed After Accused Drunk Driver Slams Into Car

MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. (WCCO) — A St. Paul man is dead and another person is hurt after an accused drunk driver slammed into their car. The accident happened at 1 a.m. Friday, off Interstate 35E in Mendota Heights, Minn. The state patrol said this isn’t the first time the suspected drunk driver has been caught behind the wheel after drinking alcohol.

“She was under the influence of alcohol, she was intoxicated, she was drunk,” said Captain Matt Langer with the State Patrol.

Witnesses say they saw 49-year-old Julie Fischer of Lakeville, Minn., weaving in and out of lanes on the highway. She was in the northbound lane of I-35E. Some people called to report her erratic driving, but it was too late. The State Patrol says her 1998 Pathfinder slammed into the back of a stalled car that was in the right-hand lane on the highway.

“Whether or not flashers or hazardous lights were on, we don’t know. The fact that sober witnesses were able to see that vehicle and were reacting to it is a telling story at this stage,” said Langer.

Tijuan Moore, 50, of St. Paul, was the driver of the stalled car. He died on the scene. Lisa Newsom, 26, was a passenger. She was taken to Regions hospital with minor injuries and was treated and released.

Fischer has a limited driver’s license for an earlier DWI arrest. That means she could only drive during certain times of the day.

Besides being accused of being drunk, it’s not clear whether she was legally supposed to be driving at the time of the accident.

“This was a case were an impaired driver failed to react to a fairly frequent occurrence on the freeway and it resulted in the death of a man,” said Langer.

Read the StarTrib – the driver who struck the disables vehicle was a 49 year old woman (read murderer IMO) who was arrested for suspected DWI.
Got news for this world – start to lock these DWI folks up for 10 years w/o an accident involved and 50 when they slaughter someone on a road or better yet bring back the capital punishment and needle or chair. This chit as to cease – you cannot fricken safely be out at night anymore.

My son was driving home during this time last night, returning home on Christmas break… and he wonders why I stress and worry when he is out on the roads at this time of night. People just cannot learn to slow down on the interstate- DWI is especially heinous, but there are plenty of crazy speedy people that cause alot of accidents because they just cannot for one second be patient. We need a stupid driver law. ( Mothers Against Dumb Drivers@!!)- and Mothers Against Monday Morning Drivers ( MOMMD!)

How about instead of creating a bunch more foolish laws, we actually enforce the ones we have. The killer in this case was caught once, and she was sent right back on the road – maybe stricter punishment would make people learn a lesson. But when he have politicians like Tom Emmer- and 40% of voters supporting him, it’s no wonder why our DWI policies are such a joke.

The killer in this case was driving an SUV. A lot of people who buy those stupid things believe it increases their chances of surviving a collision. They also develop a false sense of invincibility to the detriment of others. Pure selfishness.

I agree with Paul. My one hour commute each day proves to me that people generally driving 4 wd SUV’s think they can go faster on icy roads. 4 WD vehicles are not invincible on Ice. This morning someone in a big Tahoe is right up on my tail- I’m going 75, the roads are still a little slick… SUV or not! people need to quit being road bullys and keep a decent distance behind the vehicle in front of you. On winter roads we shouldn’t be weaving in and out of traffic either, we have to allow for greater breaking distance. HELLO… have you lived in MN all your life or newbies that just don’t get it.

It was a ignorant comment…it’s the not the vehicle that caused the crash, it’s s the morons behind the wheel of the vehicle that causes the crash….A vehicle my friend, cannot be stupid nor smart, it just is. Paul is stupid

It never ceases to amaze me that Alcohol, which is SUCH a destructive drug, is still legal. So many people can’t control themselves when on this destructive drug but it is still around because of it being such a cash crop for government. Miller, Bud, everyone in the alcohol game pays off the government to fight the “war on drugs” when ALCOHOL IS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE. WAKE UP SHEEPLE!

No more destructive than processed sugar or caffiene. The government doesn’t need to control a person’s decision to enjoy moderately. If I’m diabetic, does that mean the government needs to make sugar illegal??

I dunno if the government needs to get involved other than THROWING the maximum time against every one who gets convicted the first time. There is NO SECOND TIME with less than 5 years on a DWI. And God forbif you hurt someone – then it’s 20 to life depending on injuring or taking a life.
BOOZE and morons equal KILLING MACHINE

How about this for a new law..
Customer, ” I will take a whiskey 7 please”
Bartender, ” OK, did you drive your car here”
Customer, ” Yea”
Bartender, ” Drink coming up. You are only allowed 2 tonight and that is your second. We will reserve you if you can prove you have a safe ride from here.”

then the drunk walks out the door and down the street to start anew.
I’d support Prohibition all over again myself as people cannot handle the booze. How many times do the idiots have to show the world – the damn stuff is flat out bad

People the bottom line is someone is dead, a family lost a loved one because someone was selfish and irresponsible by choosing to drive drunk. My heart and prayers go to the family. How about if we all start to be responsible and drive so. Driving impaired, driving way above the speed limit, cutting off cars, pacing the vehicle next to you so no one can pass, running stop lights, not yielding, following too closely – come on we all want to get home in one piece. Let’s start today.

Whether impaired by alcohol or sleep deprived, we are all responsible for our actions. If in the middle of our poor judgment someone is injured, we loose our privileges; in this case driving. We could not get them back until the victim signs a waiver; and than again in this case, loss of privileges for life.

Congrats Billy – someday you’ll likely look back at it and it’ll still seem like just yesterday. 35 years on the “stuff” for me and somewhere in range of 4-5 years on that 4 pack a day habit now.
Miss the beverage stuff but common sense said I had too.

I wish the penalties were far worse for things like this. Should be the same as murder. You can drink and binge all you want but if you get behind the wheel you should have your life ended either physically or by being in jail the rest of your life.

I cannot believe the comments on here! It makes me physically sick! Julie did not wake up Thursday morning and decide to “kill” anyone!!! She went to work, had a bad day, and made the worst mistake of her life!!! But she does NOT deserve to die! She has a family… she has children, and THEY do not deserve that either. They are already suffering! And alond with the jail time, she will suffer for the rest of her given life. She will always carry that guilt and shame…. Forever. I know for a fact.

She obviously wasnt worried about her family getting that drunk 2 not ee my stepfather o =n the side of the highway if u ask me she’s been a drunk all her life all the way up until she killed my dad. well she wont have any drinks anymore! a mistake is not getting so drunk u kill sumone!

She did not have intent to kill anyone. That is cruel to say that. She did not wake up and pick out some guy on the freeway and decide to end his life. That is just irrelevant. I am sorry for your loss. But she did not have intent to kill. And maybe people will learn from this and start helping people that need it. People turn their faces away from people that struggle. That’s how they end up in PRISON. Weather it is drinking or in with the gangs. If you would have known Julie then you would know that she is a good person that made a terrible mistake. We as Gods children are not perfect, that is why he gave us the power to forgive. God rest his soul and allow your family to find peace.

Also the comments about her physical appearance are moot and judgemental. She is almost 50 years old. Come on! That is very childish. This is a real person with real problems. Just like you and me. Only her problems overcame her. She made a huge mistake. Alcoholism is a destructive and tragic disease. An alcoholic does not know the difference between 3 or 10 drinks. It is physical and emotional allergy. She needed help.

Ya right there ol’ Faith….second as in 2x DWI charge in 5 months. She’s a person that needed help most likely waaaaay before the first one.
Having said that — it’s now time to toast her into a piece of carbon and spread the ashes in the swamp.
Spare the needle and spare the noose ….. just fast, furious and over.

I believe that you need to check your intentions on here. No person is allowed to judge but god. Unless you walked a mile in someone’s shoes, you have no right to judge anyone. It takes more integrity to judge someone’s future. Just as people did when that man that was hit went to prison on murder charges. The same applies. We all deserve forgiveness and we all deserve to have a heartbeat. Only God’s plan and will can control that. And anyone who gets behind the weel after a couple drinks is just as gulty. I could have hit a stalled car if I was sober too. It is just easier to install blame and fury if someone is drunk. I am sure she will hate herself forever. Be sure of that.